Time To Think About Halloween Safety
by John Myre, www.thesafetybook.com
Fall is the time of year for ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night. Sometimes those bumps are intended to be scary. Other times they are unintentional and terribly serious. Whether your children are out trick-or-treating or helping with the traditional fall garage cleaning, there are dangers lurking.
According to Prevent Blindness America, emergency room statistics indicate that a child is more likely to be injured on Halloween than at any other time of the year.
On average, 1-2 children from ages 5-14 are struck and killed by cars every day. According to a study of a 20-year period by the Centers for Disease Control, on Halloween four times as many children are struck and killed by cars. The number of children struck and injured by cars undoubtedly increases by about the same ratio.
On an overall basis, the hour or two spent trick-or-treating is the most dangerous time of the year for kids.
General Points
Just like every other day of the year, on Halloween we need to have a Personal Safety Plan for our kids if we want to keep them as safe as possible.
We need to identify the potential Halloween hazards, and plan how to deal with these hazards.
Four major areas of concern on Halloween:
(1) Cars
(2) Costume
(3) Trick-or-treating
(4) Candy
(1) Car Hazards
a) Daylight saving time just ended - people adjusting to driving in different lighting conditions.
b) Traffic is heavy because many adults are coming home at the same time to take their kids out or pass out candy.
c) Small kids in dark clothing are difficult for drivers to see.
Tips for Kids:
- No child should trick-or-treat alone.
- Plan and discuss the intended route. Stay in familiar areas.
- To be seen, dress children in light colors, and sew or tape on reflectors or reflective tape to make them more visible. Reflective tape is available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores. Put this tape on their bags as well.
- Carry a flashlight or light stick so they can be seen.
- Accompany children under twelve on their rounds. Young children do not evaluate potential traffic threats effectively. Consider accompanying older children, based on circumstances.
- When crossing a street with a child under ten years of age, always hold the child's hand.
- Never dart out between parked cars, or from hidden corners such as alleys.
- Cross streets at the corner, not at mid-block.
- Obey all traffic signals.
- Drivers - slow down in residential neighborhoods.
- Parents - don't get so engrossed in watching the kids that you ignore your own safety.
- Wear light clothing and carry a flashlight.
- Take a cell phone (adults and older kids).
a) Masks obscure vision.
b) Costumes could cause a child to trip.
c) Children poked in the eye from props.
d) Possible strangulation hazards.
Tips for Kids:
- Avoid costumes with wigs, floppy hats, or eye patches that block vision. Beards should be fastened so they do not hamper the child's vision or breathing.
- Costumes should be loose and comfortable, but not baggy or long enough to cause falls or to catch fire. Avoid costumes with flimsy material. No high heels.
- Purchase only costumes and props labeled as flame-resistant. Note, however, that these items may still burn.
- Avoid pointed props such as spears, swords, or wands that could endanger other children's eyes. Any props should be made of cardboard or flexible material.
- Capes and other costume accessories that might pose a strangulation hazard should be fastened with Velcro rather than fabric ties.
- A better alternative might be makeup (nontoxic and FDA-approved) instead of masks, which can block their vision. (Container may also say made with U.S. Approved Color Additives, Laboratory Tested, or meets Federal Standards for Cosmetics.)
- Don't put makeup near eyes.
- Dab the makeup on their arms for a couple of days before Halloween to be sure they are not allergic.
- Take the makeup off per instructions. If the instructions say use a cream, use that cream, not soap.
- Don't let kids sleep with their makeup on. Could get in their eyes or cause a reaction.
a) Walking in the dark on unfamiliar sidewalks and steps.
b) Some homeowners put decorations on the steps, or leave items in the yard.
c) Fire hazard from candles.
Tips for Kids:
- If they do wear a mask, tell them to put it on top of their heads between trick-or-treat locations for better visibility.
- Walk, don't run, from house to house. Only go to well-lit houses.
- Stay off the lawns. Unseen objects or uneven terrain could trip them.
- For young children, pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address, and phone number inside a pocket, in case the child gets separated from the group.
- Establish a return time.
- Refuse to enter strange homes or apartments.
- Homeowners - around your home, remove any items children could trip over, for example, on the steps or porch, or in the yard.. Turn your outside lights on.
- Do not put candles in pumpkins. Use a flashlight to illuminate.
a) Choking - about 100 kids from ages one through four die throughout the year from choking.
b) Foreign objects are a slight possibility.
Tips for Adults:
- Homeowners - don't give out choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, or hard candies to young children under six.
- Inspect the candy before allowing your child to eat it.
- Don't let children under six eat hard candy, jelly beans or peanuts. Be sure they don't stuff their mouths with candy.
© 2006 John Myre
John Myre is the author of, Live Safely in a Dangerous World, which was one of ten Outstanding Books of the Year - 2003 IPPY book award. See www.thesafetybook.com for additional information.
